A lot of bulky desk top devices having some optics means and noisy motor means to get images to the walls or ceiling are available in the marketplace. None of these devices have a compact size, light weight, or low cost.
According to one embodiment of the current invention, an improved LED and/or laser-light device provided for displaying a desired image, message, time, geometric art, nature scene, galaxy, milky way, sky, cloud, stars, moon, water-wave, aurora light, animal, characters, cartoon, sign, logo, or commercial on a desired surface and which has a compact size with light weight to allow people to achieve plug-in installation to any outlet device, such as a wall outlet, extension cord, power strip, outlet device, or a USB power source.
A plug-in outlet or USB port allows easy connection with a power source without the disadvantages of an AC wired connection, an adaptor with a wired connection, or a transformer with a wire device, in which the wires are very difficult to handle and may cause people to fall down or be damaged to cause electric-shock. As a result, the current invention preferably does not use a wired power source which will cause the consumer to fall down and which are also too risky for desk top installation, and instead preferably is arranged to be plugged into an outlet or USB port without having to be wired thereto.
In addition, the plug-in outlet or USB port serves as an unlimited power source, unlike market-available models which are battery operated for desk top applications and which as a result require frequent change of battery to supply enough electricity for a plurality of LEDs or/and laser-light(s), which may need hundreds of milliamps of current to per hour.
Consequently, the current invention, which is arranged to be plugged into outlets or USB ports, represents a big improvement over market-available desk top LED or laser light devices with wired connections or battery units.
According to a second embodiment of the current invention, traditional skills are used to provide a motor, a rotating magnetic and magnetic-coil means, or a cheap and silent clock movement that causes moving effects in the form of a moving optic-means or moving light source(s). The moving optic-means may incorporate other optics-means to enhance the performance of the LED(s) or/and laser-light(s) in providing effects or functions such as color change, size change, motion, moving images and other light functions or effects available from the marketplace, including combinations thereof. Some preferred embodiments described below may have three, four, or five optics means to form a splendid light show.
According to a third preferred embodiment, the current invention may use an alternative design to create moving effects without the need to use a motor, or rotating magnetic and magnetic-coil means, in order to reduce costs, i.e., the LED and/or laser-light does not use any motor means to create the changeable image, message, time, geometric art, nature scene, galaxy, milky way, sky, cloud, stars, moon, water waves, animal, characters, cartoon, sign, logo, commercial.
According to a fourth preferred embodiment, a big improvement provided by the current invention is to have all moving or motion effects made by a plurality of LEDs' sequential flashing, fade-in and fade-out, color changing, sequential, random, or other LED light performances or effects by turning individual LEDs on and off with a time difference, duration, or duty cycle and cause the resulting image to appear as if it were moving.
According to a fifth preferred embodiment, a more advanced improvement is to generate a shaped image, message, time, geometric art, nature scene, galaxy, milky way, sky, cloud, stars, moon, water-wave, aurora light, animal, characters, cartoon, sign, logo, or commercial from at least one or more optics means having a preferred texture, opening, cutouts, holes, or shape and a steady LED and/or laser-lights' beam with rotating or non-rotating means.
The preferred embodiments of the current invention may utilize features disclosed in the inventor's U.S. patent appl. Ser. No. 14/023,889, filed Sep. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 14/323,318; filed on Jun. 26, 2014 and Ser. No. 12/938,564, filed Nov. 2, 2014; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,455,444 (more than one LED light source); U.S. Pat. No. 7,632,004 (more than one optic means); and U.S. Pat. No. 8,277,087 (more than one reflective means to create multiple visible image).
The current has subject matter in common with the inventor's following applications: U.S. patent appl. Ser. No. 14/024,229 (LED light has kaleidoscope means); Ser. No. 13/021,124 (LED light having changeable image and pattern by kaleidoscope means to project to surfaces); Ser. No. 12/710,918 (LED light having more than one reflector means), now U.S. Pat. No. 8,277,087, the arrangement of which may be utilized in the current by providing a kaleidoscope means having more than one reflective means that uses a mirror or mirror-like means assembled into the kaleidoscope means; Ser. No. 11/806,284 (LED light having more than one optic means), now U.S. Pat. No. 7,632,004, which discloses an arrangement that may be utilized by the current invention by applying the more than one optics means in front of or in back of back of a kaleidoscope means to create, adjust, magnify, reduce, or enlarge an image, LED light beams, or an LED lights' shape, the optics means including any combination of an optics lens, optics mirror, laser hologram, laser grating film, or optics assembly.
The inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 7,455,444 discloses an LED light having more than one LED light source, the current invention also capable of utilizing more than one LED in a matrix arrangement with circuit means, IC means, sensor means, switch means, brightness control means, color mixing means, color selection means, color freeze means, motor means, gear means, and turn-on/turn-off means to cause a certain number of LEDs to be turned-on with desired colors, brightness, light brightness output, light functions, matrix combinations, motor means, rotating means, and/or gear set means to cause light to pass through the kaleidoscope means and optics means to achieve desired light patterns.
Other U.S. patent applications of the inventor include U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/948,953; 12/938,564; 12/886,832; 12/876,507 [12/771,003; 12/624,621; 12/914,584; 12/318,471; 12/318,470; and Ser. No. 12/834,435; 12/292,153 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,871,192); Ser. No. 12/232,505 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,917); and Ser. No. 12/318,473 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,918). Additional patent applications of the inventor that disclose projection lights include U.S. Patent Appl. Ser. No. 12/624,621 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,303,150); Ser. No. 12/771,003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,736); Ser. No. 12/876,507 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,377); Ser. Nos. 12/886,832; 12/938,564; 12/948,953; and Ser. No. 13/021,107.
Furthermore the inventor also has copending U.S. patent applications for light devices having interchangeable power sources for AC wall outlets and DC energy storage means, including all kinds of combinations selected from prong means, extension cords, adaptors, transformers, solar or wind power, batteries, chemical power, and biological power, all of which can be interchanged to provide AC or battery power in any desk top or plug in type projection light device having a built-in kaleidoscope means. The inventor's interchangeable power source applications U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/318,473 and 12/940,255 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,231,246).
The current invention thus may utilizes principles and structures from a variety of the inventor's patents or copending patent applications, such as: (1) a projection light device; (2) more than 1 optics means; (3) more than 1 LED; (4) more than 1 reflective means; (5) interchangeable power sources; (6) laser means; (7) adjustable focus and position changing; and (8) use of a motor and gear set for image adjustment and moving.
This application also has subject matter in common with U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/710,561; 12/711,456; 12/771,003; 12/624,621; 12/622,100; 12/318,471; 12/318,470; 12/318,473; 12/292,153; 12/232,505; 12/232,035; 12/149,963; 12/149,964; 12/073,095; 12/073,889; 12/007,076; 12/003,691; 12/003,809; 11/806,711; 11/806,285; 11/806,284; 11/566,322; 11/527,628; 11/527,629; 11/498,874; 12/545,992; 12/806,711; 12/806,285; 12/806,284; 12/566,322; 12/527,628; 12/527,629; 12/527,631; 12/502,661; 11/498,881; 11/255,981; 11/184,771; 11/152,063; 11/094,215; 11/092,742; 11/092,741; 11/094,156; 11/094,155; 10/954,189; 10/902,123, 10/883,719; 10/883,747; 10/341,519; 12/545,992; and 12/292,580.
In particular, the following applications show light devices that have at least some features in common with included or optional features of the LED light device of the present invention: Ser. No. 12/710,561 (“LED power failure Light”); Ser. No. 12/711,456 (“LED light device has special effects”); Ser. No. 12/771,003 (“LED light device has more than 1 reflective means for plurality of image”); Ser. No. 12/624,621 (“projection device or assembly for variety of LED light”); Ser. No. 12/622,000 (“Interchangeable Universal Kits for all LED light”); Ser. No. 12/318,471 (“LED night light with pinhole imaging”); Ser. No. 12/318,470 (“LED night light with Projection features”); Ser. No. 12/318,473 (“LED night light with laser or hologram element”); Ser. No. 12/292,153 (“LED night light with Projection or imaging features”); Ser. No. 12/232,505 (“LED night light with Projection features”); Ser. No. 12/149,963 (“Removable LED light device”); Ser. No. 12/149,964 (“Surface Mounted Device with LED light”); Ser. No. 12/073,095 (“LED Track light device”); Ser. No. 12/073,889 (“LED light with changeable position with Preferable power source”); Ser. No. 12/007,076 (“LED light with changeable geometric system”); Ser. No. 12/003,691 (“LED light with changeable geometric dimension features”); Ser. No. 12/003,809 (“LED light with changeable features”); Ser. No. 11/806,711 (“Multiple LED light with adjustable angle features”); Ser. No. 11/806,285 (“LED Night light with outlet device”); Ser. No. 11/806,284 (“LED Night light with more than 1 optics means”); Ser. No. 11/527,628 (“Multiple function Night light with air freshener”); Ser. No. 11/527,629 (“LED Night light with interchangeable display unit”); Ser. No. 11/498,874 (“Area illumination Night light”); Ser. No. 11/527,631 (“LED Time piece night light”); Ser. No. 12/545,992 (“LED time piece Night light”); Ser. No. 12/292,580 (“LED Time Piece Night light”); Ser. No. 11/498,881 (“Poly Night light”); Ser. No. 11/255,981 (“Multiple light source Night Light”); Ser. No. 11/184,771 (“Light Device with EL elements”); Ser. No. 11/152,063 (“Outlet adaptor with EL”); Ser. No. 11/094,215 (“LED night light with liquid medium”); Ser. No. 11/094,215 (“LED Night light with Liquid optics medium”); Ser. No. 11/092,741 (“Night light with fiber optics”); Ser. No. 10/883,747 (“Fiber Optic light kits for footwear”); Ser. No. 11/498,874 (“Area Illumination for LED night light”); Ser. No. 11/527,629 (“Time Piece with LED night light”); Ser. No. 11/527,628 (“Multiple Function Night light with Air Freshener”); Ser. No. 11/806,284 (“LED Night light with more than one optics mediums”); Ser. No. 11/806,285 (“LED Night Light with multiple function”); and Ser. No. 11/806,711 (“Multiple LEDs Light with adjustable angle function”).
A preferred embodiment of the current invention includes an LED or laser light has more than one optics means, each of the optics means having light transmitting, reflective, and/or refractive means within the geometric shape of the optics means to enable a plurality of LED or laser light beams to pass through, reflect, and/or refract.
The LED(s) and/or laser light device includes at least one LED and/or laser arranged inside a geometric optics means having more than one reflective and/or refractive means, and at least one second reflective and/or refractive means within the geometric optics means which can reflect or refract LED and/or laser light beams from its surface to the first or other reflective or refractive surfaces back and forth so that some light beams are reflected or refracted and travel within the optics means and other light beams pass through a partially transparent optics means to the outside.
In some preferred embodiments, a plurality of the light beams emitted by the LED(s) and/or laser-lights can travel or pass through an outside wider opening with a wide viewing angle that enables viewing of multiple surfaces. Furthermore, at least one of the reflective and/or refractive means may be partially transparent so that a plurality of light beams pass through from the surfaces thereof, while another plurality of the light beams is reflected, retro-reflected, or refracted within another reflector and refractive means and passes through some other location of the optics means.
The LEDs and/or laser-lights of these embodiments are preferably connected with circuit means, power means, contact means, conductive means, switch means, sensor means, motor means, movement means, magnetic unit and coil means, spin means, rotating means, gear set means, speed control means, printed circuit means, integrated circuit (I.C.) means and/or related parts and accessories to cause the LEDs and/or laser-light(s) to turn on and off according to a predetermined time period, functions, colors, and/or effects to provide a desired lighting performance.
In the above-described preferred embodiment, the reflective and/or refractive means may be a mirror-like polished surface, optics lens, convex lens, concave lens, optics properties lens, chrome finished piece, polished piece, double-sided mirror, or any surface having a desired size, shape, thickness, focus, or wide viewing angle and which has reflective or refractive properties and lets light beams to travel or pass through both or more than one of the optics means of the current invention.
The partially transparent or see-though properties and reflective or refractive features can be provided by a transparent piece, colored transparent piece, or any other piece that allows light beams to pass therethrough or be reflected or refracted. A power source of those embodiments can be in the form of an outlet, batteries, solar power, chemical power, or wind power achieved by proper connection means such as a prong or USB means.
The LEDs and/or laser-lights can be selected from any combination of single color, multiple color, multiple piece, standard, and special assemblies. The LEDs and/or lasers can be number from 1 to N (N can be any number) arranged in a desired matrix, order, or combination with proper spacing.
Finally, the distance, position, and/or orientation of the reflective or refractive means may be changed based on the selected geometric shape of the optics means relative to the LED(s) or laser-light(s). The LED or laser-light arrangement for different LED or laser-light numbers, positions, colors, IC chip, control means, circuit means, functions, and brightness may be selected to incorporate a motor/movement/spin/rotating/magnetic unit and coil means to create a desired plurality of light patterns, shows, color changing, image changing, or moving effects to be seen by people on surrounding surfaces including walls, a ceiling, a floor, or any other desired surface(s).
The geometric optics means can have any shape with multiple constructions and combination of elements selected from a light transmitting lens, reflective lens, convex lens, concave lens, laser lens, and hologram lens having a desired focus, thickness, variable thickness, plurality of optics means, wave texture, desired texture, curvature, curve, or optics properties on an inner or outside surface or on all sides to provide desired light effects.
As noted above, the current invention uses more than one geometric shape of optics-means having built-in more than one reflective or refraction means to create a plurality of LED and/or laser light beams that pass through or are reflected, retro-reflected, or refracted by the more than one optics means and that may be selected to incorporate other electric parts and accessories to get a wider viewing angle. The relative distance, position, and/or orientation of the more than one optics means relative to the light source (and optional additional) reflective and/or refractive means will result in different light beam performance. This is a very low cost and simple way to make a splendid and eye catching light performance unit with wider viewing angle to cover wide area images for people, and which may incorporate any desired power source such as a battery, USB power, outlet power, generator power, chemical power, solar power, wind power or another equivalent power source from the marketplace.